Florida to develop dedicated inland port/logistics center

Jones Lang LaSalle will be the exclusive project advisor to Treasure Coast Intermodal Campus on its more than 4,000 acre site in southwest St. Lucie County, Fla. The TCIC will be developed into a major logistics hub over the next 30 to 35 years, with pre-development efforts now in full swing. "TCIC will create an entirely new industrial model for Florida, ultimately providing a connection to direct, on-dock rail service at Florida's key seaports, along with easy access to all major highways," said John Carver, who heads Jones Lang LaSalle's Ports Airports and Global Infrastructure practice. The TCIC is served by the Florida East Coast Railroad, which is accessed at the northern border of the development. Its inland port is situated in an area of St. Lucie County that has well-developed urban infrastructure and support services necessary for a large-scale industrial complex. "This large scale project is being engineered specifically in preparation for the Panama Canal expansion, which also coincides with the emergence of South America as one of the largest exporters in the world," said Steve Medwin, managing director of Jones Lang LaSalle in Miami. The TCIC plan has passed preliminary market, regulatory and construction feasibility tests and over the estimated 30 to 35-year development period, the project is said to create a significant positive fiscal impact for local government and the region's economy, including thousands of direct and indirect jobs.